Hitting The Roof Over Mobile Networks

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14 November 2018

Mobile network company and part of BT Group EE announced that nine 5G trial sites are now live across East London - but the process also called for the strengthening of roof infrastructure where antennae are placed.

The trial has so far encompassed every element of building a new 5G network, from obtaining planning permission and access agreements, through to managing power outputs. The trial will go on to assess the customer experience of a new 5G spectrum.

Howard Watson, BT CTIO, said: “Deploying this brand new layer of our EE mobile network is far from straightforward, and this trial has helped us to understand – and learn how to overcome – the significant challenges that we’ll face in the coming years.

"We’re also learning about the coverage we can achieve with 5G New Radio on our new 3.4GHz spectrum, both indoors and in densely cluttered streets.”

Roof strengthening

Upgrading 4G was often made easier by being able to repurpose existing antennae but new equipment at each site is essential to 5G. Rooftop sites often need significant strengthening to carry the new 50kg 5G units – and some sites house three of these.

The level of upgrade work required can cause delays in obtaining planning permission and can necessitate repeat visits, which means multiple access requests to landlords

Location for 5G antennas can be dictated by the need to stay below regulated power output levels. For more on this - Click Here

Businesses get to try broadband alternate

EE’s nine trial sites in East London cover Provost Street, City Road, Central Street, Old Street, Cheapside, St Paul’s, Finsbury Circus Garden, Clerkenwell Street and Bartholomew Square.

Businesses and consumers in these areas are being invited to join the trial, which will first use 5G as an alternative to their fixed broadband.

Canary Wharf

As well as these sites in East London, EE is also currently trialling live 5G in Canary Wharf, and new device functionality is being tested in the state-of-the-art Borehamwood test lab.

Rollout

EE aims to be the UK’s first mobile network to offer consumers and businesses 5G. A rollout is being launched in 2019 in the busiest parts of the UK’s busiest cities. To read the ThisWeekinFM report on this - Click Here

Picture: EE, which has said it will be launching 5G within 16 UK cities in 2019, has had to upgrade the roofs of several of its test sites to carry the extra weight of new antennae.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 14 November 2018

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